Belt conveyer for newspapers and like articles



Dec. 20, 1938. H. H. RAPLEY BELT GONVEYER FOR NEWSPAPERS AND Ll'KE ARTICLES,

Filed Sept. '25, 1936 Patented Dec. 20, 1938 PATENT OFFICE BELT CONVEYER- FOR NEWSPAPERS 'AND LIKE ARTICLES HaroldHerbei-t Bapley, Bedford, England, as-

signor to Cutler-Hammer, -Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware I Application September 25, 1936, Serial No. 102,496

I. I In Great Britain October 1, 1935 2 Claims.

I This invention relates to belt conveyers for newspapers and, like articles and refers more particularly to those arrangements in which the conveyer has to turn a corner say from the hori- 5 zontal to the vertical.

. In such arrangements, difficulty. has been heretofore experienced in that the papers have had a tendency to jam at the, bend and also in that a sliding or, sawing effect has been pro- 'duced owing to the velocity of the surface of the vpapers'on the outside of the bend being greater than that on the inside. 7 It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved cornering system in which these difiiculties are overcome, and the'invention "consists broadly in the arrangementthat a cornering belt, running in a direction between that of the two main runs, is providedfor engaging thesurface of the papers or the like on the outside of the bend,said cornering belt having'its centres spacedapart to ensure flexible contact with the stream of papers. regardless of the thickness of the latter, and being not positively driven so that it adjusts its speedto that of the .outer surface of said stream. 'In'order that'the invention may be the more clearlyunderstood an arrangement in accordance therewith will now be described reference being. made to the accompanying drawing. 7 In; this arrangement the newspapers are conveyed round a corner fromthe horizontal to the I vertical direction, the horizontal conveying being effected between upper and lower horizontal belts I and 2 and the subsequent vertical conveying between inner and outer vertical belts 3 and I.

The upper horizontal belt I and the inner vertical belt 3 have a common end roller v5 and, fairly close to said endroller, respective guide rollers 6 and I, the guide rollersbeing close to the respective lower horizontal'belt 2 and outer vertical belt 4, and. the common end roller 5 being off setinwardly from said lower horizontal belt ;2 and said outer vertical belt 4. Thus the ends of the upper horizontal belt I and'inner, vertical belt 3 turn away from the horizontal and vertical respectively and meet each other at an obtuse angle of say 130 to 140. In rounding the corner the papers are held against these turned ends of the upper horizontal belt I and inner vertical belt 3 by means of a cornering ,belt 8 running over free end rollers 9 and I0 and whose operative run is at an angle to say ,The non operative run of this cornering belt 8 55] passes over a free roller I4 and said beltis thus driven solely by frictional engagement with the stream of papers.

With this arrangement, the papers pass first between the .upper horizontal belt I and the lower horizontal belt 2 as far as the guide roller 6 of the said upper horizontal belt I and the cornering-belt 8 as far as the common roller 5 of the upper horizontal belt I and inner vertical belt 3; then between said inner vertical belt 3 and said cornering belt 8 as far as the guide roller I of said inner vertical belt 3, and finally between said inner vertical belt 3 and the outer vertical belt 4.

Thus, instead of turning at a sharp angle, the papers make aturn in three stages or, in efiect, on a fairly wide curve, and thus any tendency to jamming is avoided. Moreover since the cornering belt is driven solely by frictional engagement with the stream of papers it is free, when papers are passing, to conform its speed to that required by said papers, either faster or slower according as a thick or thin layer is passing. Thus the tendency to the sliding or sawing of the papers is obviated.

The numerals I2 and I3 designate small inks pivoted at one end and carrying the rollers 9 and ID at the other. Thus the distance apart of the rollers 9 and I0, and therefore the tension of the belt 8 and its proximity to the roller 5 can be varied.

It will be obvious that the arrangement described can be equally well employed for con veying papers from the vertical to the horizontal direction. In either case the upper horizontal belt I will usually only be required to extend a very short distance from the corner--only far enough in fact to ensure that it performs its cornering function as described. In a few cases however, as when the conveyer is exposed to strong draughts, it may be preferred to continue the upper horizontal belt I the full length of the lower horizontal belt 2.

It will be appreciated that the belts referred to in the foregoing description are actually composite belts each consisting of a plurality of component wire belts, and the rollers referred to consist each of a number of pulleys over which said component belts run. Where a commonroller is referred to, it will comprise pulleys for the component belts of both the composite belts running over it. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a. newspaper conveyer, in combination, associated horizontal and vertical belt conveyer sections for carrying the newspapers in overlapped relationship, the latter conveyer section including inner and outer belts between which the newspapers are frictionally held, driving rollers for said belts including a corner roller associated with said inner belts for engaging the inner surface of the newspapers as the same pass around the corner between said conveyer sections, and auxiliary belts arranged between said outer belts and crossing the angle between said conveyer sections for engaging the outer surface of the newspapers as the same pass over said corner roller, said auxiliary belts being driven solely by frictional engagement with the outer surface of the newspapers and acting to yieldingly hold the same in engagement with said corner roller.

2. In a newspaper conveyer, in combination,

associated horizontal and vertical belt conveyer sections for carrying a stream of newspapers in overlapped relationship, said vertical conveyer section including inner and outer endless belts rollers and crossing the angle between said conveyer sections for engaging the outer surface of the newspapers as the same pass over said inner corner roller, said auxiliary belts being driven solely byvirictional engagement with the outer surface of the newspapers and acting to yieldingly holdthe newspapers in engagement with said innercorner, roller.

HAROLD HERBERT RAPLEY. 

